Nematodes are important pests in vineyards around the world, and these soil-borne pests can be particularly problematic in California vineyards. Two factors intensify the impact of nematodes — the high value of grapes and of vineyard land. These factors force growers to ignore the steps of leaving land fallow and rotating crops, both of which reduce nematode build up and delay the selection of adapted strains. Nematicides and fumigants help control nematodes, but the use of these pesticides has been greatly restricted and their future use in doubt because they must be persistent and penetrate deeply through the soil profile to be highly effective. In addition, grape rootstocks were bred to resist grape phylloxera (a devastating root-feeding aphid), and were not selected for nematode resistance. The grape rootstocks ‘Freedom’ and ‘Harmony’ were released by the USDA/Fresno to provide resistance to nematodes, but they are not resistant to grape phylloxera. More recently, McKenry at UC Riverside released two rootstocks, ‘RS3’ and ‘RS9’ (siblings of a ‘Schwarzmann’ ×‘Ramsey’ cross), designed to resist multiply nematode species and provide growers with nematode resistant rootstock alternatives. However, they have nematode resistance from a relatively narrow genetic base, which may promote the evolution of strains capable of feeding on them. Therefore, there is a need to develop nematode resistant grape rootstock.